Disabled veterans in Georgia and across the United States often come back home after serving our country to find that their injury or illness keeps them from working. Fortunately, the Veterans Administration and Social Security Administration both offer veterans’ benefits for military men and women who suffered a disability while serving our country.
The VA and SSA have different criteria for receiving disability benefits. VA disability benefits are generally based on your disability rating, ranging from 0 to 100 percent. The VA will review your military medical records and will give you a disability rating based on the injuries or illnesses you suffered while on active duty. This rating will determine how much you will receive in VA disability benefits.
On the other hand, to receive SSD benefits you will need to be totally disabled, according to the SSA’s criteria. This generally means that you have been unable to work due to your condition for at least one year, or that your condition will likely lead to death. The SSA will look at your entire history of medical issues, combined with your military disabilities, to make their determination.
Many veterans with more serious medical conditions qualify for both SSD benefits and VA disability benefits at the same time. For example, if you have a VA compensation rating of 100 percent permanent and total, this can help expedite your claim for SSD benefits. You will need to provide medical evidence to prove that you meet the SSA’s criteria and file a claim through SSA’s website, over the phone or in person.
Our nation’s veterans give their all in the line of duty, and should they be injured or made ill in the process, they deserve to receive the benefits they need to make ends meet when they cannot work. Both VA benefits and SSD benefits can be crucial resources for veterans. Therefore, it is important to understand what it takes to qualify for each of these types of benefits.
